


return

by soulofme



Series: sheith sentence prompts [4]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Married Keith/Shiro (Voltron), Pre-Kerberos Mission, Promises
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-27
Updated: 2018-06-27
Packaged: 2019-05-29 13:01:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 949
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15073697
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soulofme/pseuds/soulofme
Summary: “What the fuck, Shiro? Kerberos. You’re going to fucking Kerberos and you didn’t say shit to me.”“I was going to!”





	return

**Author's Note:**

> [sentence prompt #13](http://stefansalfatore.tumblr.com/post/144981395239/sentence-prompts): don’t say that.

Keith was uncharacteristically quiet.

That didn’t mean that Keith was usually _loud_. But Shiro was able to get more than a grunt out of him at any given time. When Keith was like this, it meant that he was closing himself off, protecting himself and others from any perceived threats.

Shiro wasn’t sure how to approach the topic. Keith needed time, especially when he himself was unsure of his feelings. It had taken years of gentle coaxing to get Keith to open up. Shiro didn’t want to ruin all of that hard work. His relationship with Keith was still incredibly fragile. Going in full force like he might with his friends would only backfire.

So Shiro waited for Keith to come to him. It didn’t take very long. Shiro wasn’t surprised, but he was too worried about Keith to tease him for it.

Instead, he leaned against the doorframe and grinned charmingly at Keith. Keith’s eyebrows furrowed together, and Shiro forced himself to laugh.

“Breaking curfew, Kogane?” he joked. Keith normally would’ve rolled his eyes and shoved past Shiro into his room. Even though he wasn’t supposed to be in the senior dormitory, Keith often hung out with Shiro until it was so late that their eyes could barely stay open.

Shiro had begun to eventually expect his presence, and found himself severely disappointed on the rare occasions Keith didn't show.

“Can I come in?” Keith asked. It was strange of him to ask, but Shiro didn’t push it. He left the door open for Keith and stepped aside to let him in.

Keith shut the door behind them and faced it for a few long moments. Something sour pooled on the back of Shiro’s tongue at the sight. He swallowed the horrific taste down.

“Keith?”

He turned at the sound of his name. The expression on his face was nothing short of tortured. Shiro found himself focusing on the dark circles beneath Keith’s eyes, the hollowness of his cheeks, and the hunched-over, defeated way he held himself. This wasn’t Keith. This wasn’t _his_ Keith.

Keith’s eyes were glued to his desk. Shiro followed his gaze until they were both staring at the notes spread out across the surface. Shiro looked at the manila folder, the pages upon pages of descriptions, the graphs and charts and pictures that detailed every bit of the mission.

“You didn’t tell me,” Keith muttered. He crossed his arms over his chest.

“I was going to,” Shiro said earnestly. Keith’s lip twitched into a snarl.

And then, he exploded.

“What the fuck, Shiro?” He began to pace, his hands waving wildly as he did. “Kerberos. You’re going to fucking _Kerberos_ and you didn’t say shit to me.”

“I was going to!” Shiro repeated. He didn’t realize he’d yelled until Keith shrank back from him.

“Right,” Keith finally said after a tense moment. “Of course you were.”

“Baby, please,” Shiro mumbled, daring to approach him.

“I had to hear it from Matt,” Keith whispered. “Do you have any idea how that felt? You…you didn’t see the way he looked at me, Shiro. He fucking pitied me because my _husband_ didn’t have the balls to be honest with me.”

Shiro swallowed hard, shame rushing up and threatening to swallow him whole. He watched as an angry tear slipped from the corner of Keith’s eye, trailing down his cheek until it hung precariously from his chin. Keith didn’t bother to wipe it, not even when others began to fall.

“Keith…” Shiro reached for him instantly.

He went willingly, pressing his wet face against Shiro’s shoulder. Shiro wrapped his arms around him tightly, burying his face into his husband’s hair. Keith trembled in his arms, shaking them both, and Shiro stifled the sob that climbed up his throat.

“I’m sorry, baby, I’m sorry,” Shiro repeated, over and over, unable to keep his voice steady. He pulled back and pressed his forehead to Keith’s, breathing hard.

Keith pressed his hands to either side of Shiro’s face, his hands cold. Shiro turned his face and kissed the center of Keith’s palm, once, twice, three times.

“I don’t want you to go,” Keith whispered.

“I have to go,” Shiro replied, rubbing his thumb under Keith’s eye. “You know I have to, baby.”

“I’m scared you won’t come back,” Keith admitted. The words broke Shiro’s heart.

“Don’t say that,” he begged. He attempted to pull Keith closer, but there were already as close as they could possibly get. It didn’t feel like nearly enough. It would never be enough.

“I hate you,” Keith mumbled brokenly. “I hate you for doing this to me.”

“You don’t,” Shiro insisted. “I know you don’t.”

Keith shook his head and sniffled wetly.

“Be safe,” he murmured. “That’s all I want from you.”

“I’m gonna come back. You know I’m always gonna come back to you.”

“You have to promise,” Keith said softly.

“I promise, Keith,” Shiro punctuated the words with a kiss, trying to put all of his emotions into it. All of his love and devotion, his loyalty and overwhelming desire to be with Keith. Every second of every day, for the rest of their lives. Just like he'd vowed. He broke away to continue, his lips brushing Keith’s as he spoke. “I swear to God, baby, nothing’s gonna keep me from you.”

“I believe you, Takashi,” Keith said. His smile was watery as he reached down to pinch Shiro’s side. “Otherwise, I’ll bring you back myself.”

Shiro laughed and buried his face into Keith’s neck. He ignored how his husband squeezed him tightly, as if he was holding a man marching to his death. He would come back to Keith.

He always would.


End file.
